Tiger Woods Withdraws from Genesis Invitational Due to Back Injury

Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, citing back spasms that developed during his practice round on Monday morning, tournament officials announced.

The 15-time major champion was scheduled to begin his second round at 11:40 AM PT but informed PGA Tour officials early Monday that he would not be able to continue in the tournament. Woods shot a 1-over 72 in Thursday's opening round and was six shots behind leader Collin Morikawa heading into the weekend.

"Unfortunately, I woke up this morning with back spasms and after trying to warm up and loosen up, I just couldn't manage the discomfort," Woods said in a statement. "I hate disappointing the fans here at Riviera, but I need to listen to my body and take care of my health."

This marks the second time in three years that Woods has withdrawn mid-tournament due to back issues, raising concerns about the 48-year-old's ability to compete at the highest level. His last victory came at the 2019 Masters, and he has struggled with consistency since returning from his 2021 car accident.

Woods was playing in just his fourth official PGA Tour event since the accident, having made the cut in two of his previous three starts. The withdrawal is particularly disappointing given that Woods serves as tournament host for the Genesis Invitational and was hoping to build momentum ahead of the upcoming Masters Tournament.

The golf world will now turn its attention to Woods' next scheduled appearance, which is expected to be at Augusta National in April. With the Masters just six weeks away, Woods and his team will need to carefully manage his rehabilitation to ensure he's ready for golf's most prestigious tournament. The withdrawal serves as another reminder of the physical challenges Woods continues to face in his pursuit of competitive golf at the sport's highest level.